The organist librarian

  Both of us awake at 3 a.m. It's the worry of going out in tier 4. Hospital transport due 8.30 for 11 a.m. clinic at Guys. Turns out they thought appointment was cancelled now rearranged. St Martin's, St John's and Blackfriars. Bed and towels changed and washing on the line - sunny but cold. Rearranged for 1.30 transport came all went well haemoglobin up. Home at 7. Watched Black Narcissus 1947 film way beter than the TV series. Bridgerton episode 3 so repetitive. Only connect and university challenge. Bed at 10.30.  Slept right through. Liz was up when I woke up and I was alarmed. She had her medicines and is fine!  Bristol cathedral morning prayer heard it well. The Archbishop of York excellent sermon . Hearing Nardone Gloria realised had not played or sung this since March!  Lovely talking to Clare and Nelson in Lisbon! St Martin's, Fr Bruno at Blackfriars. Berlin phil New Year concert Beethoven, Rodrigo, Villa-Lobos, Rimsky-Korsakov. Petrenko conducting. Dennis ...

 Blackfriars and the homily questioned leaders of state and church - was there a hint of criticism of the hierarchy? St Martin's - they were celebrating St John.  Canterbury boys farewell to Dr David Flood on you tube. What a wonderful sound! Welby rose to the occasion too.  Lovely evensong for the 850th anniversary of the martyrdom of Thomas Becket from Canterbury cathedral. It's on you tube. Fr Anthony Charlton was there. Dr David Flood's last service after over 40 years of service.  Penguins on BBC1. Only connect, University challenge and Black narcissus came to an expected end.

  Woke at 5! Slept again. Very curious to know why Caterham had harp music and not the organ and choir. Was it a real harp? It wasn't. It was the keyboard! Fooled me! But why not use a grand 3 manual organ on the big Feast day of the church? Blackfriars was splendid and the organ was great especially Von himmel hoch of Pachelbel at the end. Durham cathedral Bach. St John Upper Norwood Eyre setting. Once again ruined by that soprano. Later in the day Bob rang and we rang that the situation is impossible. It needs an outsider to comment! S moked salmon on toast with salad (one for Bruce Woodhouse). Tried my new toy in the garden as cover blown off barbecue and top of water butt. It certainly blows the leaves need to work on my suction skills and maybe wait for leaves to be drier? Watched Royal Ballet gala. This morning's service on radio 4 from Canterbury cathedral about Thomas Becket martyred 850 years ago. Saw start of Brotherton.  Lie-in. Breakfast in bed and I was descr...

 Lie-in. Prayer walk at Connaught water, Epping forest, Blackfriars. St Stephen's day wondering when we will be allowed to serve again and if we can travel. Have to wait for vaccination. Clifton Midnight Chris Walker sang his arrangement of Silent night beautifully. Programme on the Queen's Christmas broadcast. 

Started the day with Blackfriars and Fr Bruno singing the genealogy of Matthew then morning prayer from Southwark cathedral. A lovely family zoom with everybody there and lots of lovely presents! What a joy to hear Peter Simpson talk about Christians awake! Such a wonderful hymn, St John Upper Norwood and St John Caterham.   Excellent homily from the Cardinal. Where are the boys? The men sang Kyrie and Gloria and then Sanctus was SAID! Why? To St Martin's in the Fields where they sang Thorne. Watching a service I would normally play for has to be the weirdest Christmas ever! Nice singing from Dublin David Grealy. Zoom with Caterham folk and Hyacinth our Baptist neighbour singing Hark the herald on our doorstep. Lunch on the go and watching Clifton Midnight Mass. Liked the Gloria by Richard Jeffrey-Gray. Sherry finished but Muscat is a good substitute. Servers at Clifton cathedral not wearing gloves. Quite a lot of people on a large sanctuary. Delicious lunch cooked by Liz with hel...

 Woke at 3 and 6.30. couple of arguments! St Martin's Walsingham and Blackfriars. Watched Christmas steam railway and Mary Berry. Clare, Dennis and South Norwood community kitchen collected spare veg and fruit. King's was excellent - tempi slow and TV was King's Singers. Lovely Rutter and Chilcott. Did not like arrangement of In the bleak on TV. Dennis and briefly Bruce on zoom. Bake off Christmas . Bit of Westminster cathedral with the Cardinal but no sign of the boys. Lichfield Sanctus by Richard Shephard. Durham looked great. Bishop of Ely. 

 Woke 8.30. St Martin's. Skype with Ann. Nature's choice delivered 5 boxes including turkey! Sorted it out to give some away. Exercises. Fr Andrew rang and he told me about Fr Dennis Touw's Mass at Fulham on you tube - great homily. Blackfriars. Marilyn played well at the Horniman. Saw Sonia when I was doing the bins. I assembled the leaf blower, and fixed the wheel on Liz's bedside cabinet. Louise brought Liz home and she looks well with rosy cheeks. Has a frame and her legs are large. She can manage the stairs. So very happy - it's been an emotional rollercoaster. Lovely programme on Devon and Cornwall railways. Surprised by the discharge notes which mention pneumonia and do not mention WM at all! Blackfriars compline and Ben Nicholas organ recital at Merton.